High-class maid

A few more days passed uneventfully. Apart from Xiyun and Chunyun from the small kitchen getting along better and better, nothing else happened.

Before she knew it, it was time for Shen Xing'er to rest. After saying goodbye to Shan Tao, she went to the back door to wait for Wang Shi to go home together.

Maids like Shen Xing'er and Shan Tao had three days off a month, while married nannies like Wang Shi had four days off a month.

However, the First Madam allowed Wang to rest for five days each month, which was a favor bestowed by her mistress.

After having the gatekeeper check the bundle, Wang Shi led Shen Xing'er out.

"Xing'er, let's go. Your father is waiting for us in the carriage. I brought two pearl hairpins with me this time; they were a gift from the First Madam."

I heard it's still the style from the palace. You don't need to go and express your gratitude; the First Madam said that being loyal to the Old Madam is enough."

That's why the First Madam is the head of the household. She knows that Madam Wang dotes on her daughter and that Shen Xing'er works in the old lady's courtyard. She rewards her daughter with gifts because Madam Wang does her job well. She gets multiple benefits in one go!

"Mother, these pearl hairpins in the palace are so beautiful, they look so real. Do you think they'll attract butterflies if I wear them on my head?" Shen Xing'er said with a smile, linking her arm with Wang Shi's.

The mother and daughter exchanged a few words and reached the street corner. The entire street was the residence of the Minister's mansion, and servants' carriages were not allowed to enter this street, so Shen Xing'er's father could only wait on the street.

Shen Xing'er looked up and saw her father, Shen Kun, standing beside the carriage. This was the first time Shen Xing'er had seen the original owner's father since she transmigrated into the book.

She thought the original owner's father would be short and smart, but when she saw Shen Kun, she found that he was tall and robust, and looked like a gentleman.

Of course, since he was following the top dog of the Minister's mansion, it was impossible for him to have questionable character.

As soon as Shen Xing'er saw her father, her eyes reddened, her nose stung uncontrollably, and tears streamed down her face, as if the original owner of the body could feel it too.

Seeing his daughter crying, Shen Kun was at a loss. He wanted to wipe her tears, but fearing that someone might see it and make a fuss, he could only say...

"Alright, Xing'er, let's talk in the car, let's talk in the car."

Then they boarded the carriage and embarked on their journey home.

"Xing'er, I've heard everything your mother has said. I'm glad you understand your parents' good intentions. I don't blame you for being ignorant before. From now on, we'll work hard and the three of us will work together. We're not afraid of not making a good living." Shen Kun said as he drove the carriage.

"Yes, Father, I was ignorant before. I will definitely do my job well and become a landlady in the future, making a lot of money to support you and Mother in our old age!" Shen Xing'er flattered.

"You silly girl, just do your job well. Consult with your mother when you encounter problems, and never make decisions on your own. What, are you planning to leave the Minister's mansion?" Shen Kun asked with a smile.

What Shen Xing'er didn't dare to say was that she wanted to go out and do business. Even if she couldn't do business, she didn't want to wait until she was 25 to leave the mansion. She not only wanted to leave the mansion, but she also wanted her parents to leave the mansion.

Of course, if she told her, it would definitely shock her parents. After all, in their eyes, this was a secure job. But you have to have dreams, what if they come true!

"Mother, are we staying here? Where are the others in the courtyard?" Shen Xing'er asked, looking at the small courtyard in front of her.

"You silly child, have you forgotten because you haven't been home in a long time? This is the courtyard we bought!" Wang looked at her strangely and said.

Originally, married servants could live in the servants' quarters provided by the mansion. There were only two connected rooms, which were too crowded. Water was inconvenient, and there was no privacy whatsoever.

So the original owner's parents took out all their savings and bought a small two-courtyard house on the westernmost street of the Minister's Mansion.

The courtyard wasn't big, but it was more than enough for the three of them. Although it was a bit noisy, they finally had their own home in Beijing, where land is incredibly expensive.

Shen Kun performed his duties well this year, and the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel rewarded him with a sum of money. Shen Kun immediately bought a carriage, and now they can be considered to have both a car and a house!

After arriving home, Wang put the bundle inside and hurried to the kitchen to cook.

Shen Xing'er rolled up her sleeves to help, but was chased away by Madam Wang.

"Go, go, go! What kind of cooking can a little girl like you do? Go take the pearl hairpin that the Madam gave you, and comb your hair yourself. Make yourself look beautiful. This afternoon, Mom will take you to the market!"

Shen Xing'er happily took the beaded hairpin and went into her room to admire herself. When she came out, she saw Shen Kun burning firewood and Wang Shi kneading dough to make noodles. The couple looked very happy and loving.

By the time they finished cooking, it was already noon. The family of three ate noodles with the pickled vegetables that Wang had made some time ago. Shen Kun also showed off his skills by stir-frying some cured pork. They were quite content.

"Xing'er, eat more meat. This afternoon, I'll have your mother take you for a stroll in the street, and then we'll go to Qianshan Su to buy your favorite pastries," Shen Kun said affectionately.

"Okay, Dad. You should eat more too. Aren't you coming with us this afternoon?" Shen Xing'er asked between bites.

"I'm not going with you. I need to go to the farm this afternoon to check on the harvest."

"Why are you going to the farm? Has something happened?" Wang asked.

"These past few years have been blessed with good weather, yet the amount of grain and poultry from the farm we've been handing over has been decreasing. I need to go see what's going on. I'll be away for the next few days, so don't come back too late," Shen Kun said.

Shen Kun was the master's confidant. The master was busy with official affairs, so Shen Kun was the one to handle matters like those in the fields.

After dinner, Shen Xing'er went to check on her room. Although buying the house had drained her parents' savings, Shen Kun and Wang Shi didn't want to skimp on the furniture.

In the original owner's small room, there was a bed, a table, and a wardrobe.

Xiyun had stayed here a few times with the original owner before, and she was extremely jealous. She said that others only had a wooden box, but she had her own wardrobe.

"Mother, I'm going to sleep for a while. Wake me up in an hour," Shen Xing'er said to Wang Shi.

"Good girl, go to sleep. You must be exhausted from working these days." Wang looked at her daughter with tenderness in her eyes.

"I'm not tired, Mom, you should get some sleep too. We'll go to the street when you're refreshed."

After Shen Kun left, the mother and daughter both went for a nap. An hour later, after washing up, the two went out together.

The street where they lived was called Shangqiao Street. Usually, there were only a few vegetable and meat vendors. The truly bustling street was Chang'an Street, near the Ministry of Rites.

Upon arriving at Chang'an Street, Shen Xing'er was awestruck by the prosperity of ancient times.

Perhaps it was the prosperity of their Qin Dynasty (an alternate history), with its antique buildings, acrobatic performances, lantern vendors, beaded flower vendors, teahouses, noodle shops, and pastry shops—it was truly bustling with activity.

"Mom, I want to eat candied hawthorn!" Shen Xing'er's eyes lit up when she saw candied hawthorn.

Although Wang laughed at her for being a child, she still bought Shen Xing'er a string of candied hawthorns.

Then she led Shen Xing'er to Huamian Pavilion, which has three floors. The first floor sells ready-made clothes and fabrics, the second floor is for custom-made clothes, and the third floor is for receiving distinguished guests.

Although they were only selecting items on the first floor, the styles and fabrics were still better than those in other shops on the street.

"Mom, let's go. The clothes here look very expensive. I'm still growing and can't wear such nice clothes."

Shen Xing'er didn't want to go into the three-story clothing store. It wasn't that she was unwilling to spend money, but she felt too sorry for her parents.